A Historical Touch to Mudurnu from Volunteers Winning the European Heritage Award

Volunteers who went into the field in the historical district known as "Ahi City" carried out works that brought the city's heritage to life.

Comprehensive Work from Arasta to Mansion

Twelve young volunteers from various European countries split into two groups and began working in Merzifon. One group cleaned, maintained, and restored four abandoned shops in the historic Arasta Bazaar. These shops will soon house Ahmet İzzet Bengüboz's photography collection from the 1920s and 1930s. The other group carried out meticulous cleaning, documentation, and conservation work at the Hakkı Efendiler Mansion. In addition to daytime fieldwork, heritage education programs were held in the evenings to reinforce the young people's theoretical knowledge.

Their first project in Türkiye was realized in Mudurnu

Dr. Ayşe Ege Yıldırım, founder of Terra Mudurnu, one of the project's main partners, emphasized the importance of this visit. Yıldırım said, "This organization, which has provided volunteers with field experience in various historical locations across Europe for 30 years, has come to Türkiye for the first time and implemented its first project in Mudurnu."

The project partners included the Mudurnu District Governorate, Mudurnu Municipality, Terra Mudurnu Culture and Tourism Inc., Abant İzzet Baysal University, Europa Nostra Turkey, and Valencia Polytechnic University. In recognition of this year's European Heritage Volunteers' European Heritage Award in the education category, the project will conclude with an awards and certificate ceremony to be held in Atatürk Square on Friday, September 12.